Harinama Diksha

Srila Prabhupada writes in BG 13.8-12, Purport:
Simplicity means that without diplomacy one should be so straightforward that he can disclose the real truth even to an enemy. As for acceptance of the spiritual master, that is essential, because without the instruction of a bonafide spiritual master one cannot progress in the spiritual science. One should approach the spiritual master with all humility and offer him all services so that he will be pleased to bestow his blessings upon the disciple. Because a bonafide spiritual master is a representative of Krsna, if he bestows any blessings upon his disciple, that will make the disciple immediately advanced without the disciple's following the regulative principles. Or, the regulative principles will be easier for one who has served the spiritual master without reservation.

March 27, 2010 is going to be the most important day of my life. (It should, right?) On this most auspicious day, my spiritual life started as a very dear devotee of the Lord, His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami kindly accepted me as his disciple. He gave me the spiritual name: Satsvarupa Shyam Das.

Both my mother and father also got initiated and their names are His Grace Ajatshatru Das and Her Grace Madhurya Kadambini Devi Dasi.

Initiation ceremony started at 9:00 AM in the morning where all he candidates sat around the sacrificial kundas in the courtyard, right in front of temple hall. The are was beautifully decorated with fruits and flowers by the pujari department devotees. We were all given Harinama Chadars and a new Tulasi neck beads. Guru Maharaja arrived and took his seat and then gave a lecture on 10 offences against holy names. he made it clear that our advancement in spiritual life will not be dependent on our spiritual names but rather our dedication in following the principles of devotional service.

Maharaja first gave initiation to the temple residents and then the prabhus, and lastly matajis. In all he initiated around 200 devotees from New Delhi, NOIDA, Gurgaon and faridabad congregation and many IYF devotees.

Each devotee after paying obeisances to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Guru Maharaja took vows of following 4 regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds of Hare Krishna Mahamanra daily and 25 rounds on Ekadasi and other auspicous days. Also Maharaja asked us to read Srila Prabhupada books daily and take regular association of devotees. He then gave the beads and also awarded a new spiritual name to the disciple.

After this procedure was completed, HG Jaya Mukunda recited the invocatory hyms and started the fire sacrifice. this went on for half an hour. Then all newly initiated devotees circumambulaed the area 7 times.

Personally it was a very humbling experience. It was like a dream that had come true. The only thing I remember is when I was vowing before Guru maharaja and other senior Vaishnavas. After that it is all blank. Don't remember when Maharaja gave me the beads and the name. 

Phew! Finally i now have some hope of getting saved. That is if I now strictly follow the instructions my spiritual master gave me. I request all of you who are reading this to give me your blessings and pray to Krishna so that I get strength to satisfy my spiritual master, which is the key to success in spiritual life.

Names of some of he IYF devotees are now as follows:

Sahil Prabhu:            Sacinandan Nimai Das

Jogesh Prabhu:          Jayadev Gauranga Das

Milan Prabhu:            Parampara Prana Das

Gaurav Anand Pr:      Gadadhar Pran Das

Dharmender Pr(Fbd):  Devahuti Suta Das

Rama Navami - 2010

Ram Navami was celebrated wih great enthusiasm in ISKCON Delhi - East of Kailash. Beautiful Abhisheka of Lord Ramacandra, along with Mother Sita, Lord Lakshana and Hanuman ji was done amidst ecsatic kirtan by devotees. This was followed by sumptuous prasadam feast.

His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja was also there and led the fesival.

In evening he Vaikuntha Players enacted a beautiful drama based on the pastimes of Lord Rama.

Rama Navami is coming up!!

This 24th March. This day marks the auspicious appearance of Lord Sri Ramacandra. Son of King Dashratha in Ayodhya.

This day is also the day when our Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi Mandir, ISKCON Delhi was inaugrated in 1998.

Every year this festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm across many ISKCON centers. Especially in New Delhi and Mumbai-Juhu.
So if you are reading this you are most welcome to attend this great occassion and get unlimited blessings from Lord Rama



PS: This is my 5th post today within an hour. 3 posts were pending from long time.

Gaura Purnima - 2010

Will update this post soon.....!!!

Pic: Grand Abhisheka of Their Lordships Gaura Nitai.

Holi - IYF's color of Festival

IYF celebrated Holi on Gaura Purnima Day. After this we went to temple hall to take part in the abhiseka ceremony of the two merciful Lords. Lord Gauranga & Lord Nityananda. That will be covered in the next post.

Back from Mayapur Yatra

Went to Mayapur for Navadvipa Mandal Parikrama. Left Delhi on 14th Feb and returned on 24th. The parikrama was scheduled from 18-24 Feb. This time it was much easier and less taxing on my body. Was able to cope up with all the daily physical routine, which we city dwellers are so unused to.

Few of IYF devotees went ahead of others to Puri on 10th and joined the rest in Mayapur on 15th Feb. On 17th was the adhivasa ceremony or the day we take sankalpa to complete he parikrama. It rained that day.

Mayapur is a spiritual city, especially one gets that feeling inside the ISKCON campus. The evenings are brilliant, with all the devotees around, dancing and singing jubiliantly. The market that was put up behind the new Govindas was also very enchanting. There were evening kirtans by HH Loknath Swami, HH BB Govinda Swami and HH Radhanath Swami.

On 18th the Parikrama started. Got lots of association of Cakravarti prabhu and Nand Gopal Jivan Prabhu.
Many devotees from Pune were also there in yatra like HG Jugal Kishore Pr, Ravindra Caitanya Prabhu and others from our Bhakti Vriksha Program.

This time by inspiration from JKP, CVP and NKP, I approached Guru Maharaja's room for serving him, but unfortunately, already there were 2 devotees. So Maharaja asked us to take rest.

One of the saturdays, I witnessed the Chhota Radha Madhav's procession. It was grand, with all the gurukulis chanting vedic hymns and drums being beaten created a very outwordly ambience. The kirtan that followed Radha Madhav's re-entrance into the temple hall was also soul stirring.

Parikrama ended on 24th and I flew back to delhi the same day from Kolkata. On our way to Kolkata we also stopped at Shantipur for 15 mins for darshans of Advaita Prabhu's house.

Navadwipa Mayapur Yatra ki Jaya!!

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura instructed Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura: “Develop Sri Navadvipa-dhama parikrama, for by its performance all people of the world can be liberated.”

Nityananda Trayodasi - 2010

Nadiya Godrume Nityananda Mahajana Patiachhen Namahatta Jivera Karuna
-The mercuful Lord Nityananda walks through Godruma opening up Namahatta to bestow mercy upon fallen conditioned souls of this world. In other Vaishnava Song, Nityananda Prabhu is referred to as one who is situated in transcendental happiness and is requested to bestow mercy on the suffering conditioned soul. Yet another song glorigies the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda giving cooling effect to the burning of the conditioned soul in the fire of material existence.

Also on a personal note, the Appearance Day of Lord Nityananda was the first festival I ever attended in ISKCON. Even though I had got associated in Sept 2005, yet this day in Jan 2006 was officially my first festival. As it was a working day I could not attend it completely, but definitely managed to sneak out during lunch to catch the glimpse of the merciful lord. I still remember the dress their Lordships were wearing that day. A blue dress with swans on it. The altars were so opulently decorated beyond my wildest imaginations. Whoa! Melons hanging here n there. Along with strings of apples and oranges. Where else would one get to see things like that?

So 2010 Trayodasi is my 5th one. How fast time passes by? Though getting senior in number of years, my heart is still far far away from making any advancement. How unfortunate I am. Only by Nityananda Prabhu's causeless mercy can I hope to achieve some gain in my devotional life.

The day started early with a quick trip to flower market. Then came back and decorated the altar, simultaneously prepared for the abhisheka of the lord. Then after it was performed, my mother performed the arotik offering all the 6 items (Only on festival days, the lord gets to enjoy the full arati, other days its only incense, lamp and flowers). After this we dashed off to temple to attend the main festival.

We reached in time to see the most beautiful view where the two merciful lords were being bathed with various liquids. His Grace Mohan Rupa Prabhu was leading devotees into an ecstatic Kirtan. After this the Lord were offered grand Bhoga, and then a grand arati, while all the devotees danced while HG Sriniket Prabhu and HG Ram Bhadra Prabhu led the Kirtan.

Thereafter was a feast awaiting all. I got the opportunity to do little seva there, making it a complete day for me. And then amidst company of devotees, I enjoyed feast prasadam. By the way it was Ekadasi feast, so all the more delectable.

Came back home and then in evening helped Mithilesh in preparing a small feast bhoga for Gopinath.